Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Threads

Inspired by one of my current favorite YouTube channels Thralls of Metal, I decided to also get in the "band's greatest hits" trend of compiling tracks from different albums by a band as your own "greatest hits" kind of album. If you have any of your own "greatest hits" albums for your favorite bands, feel free to post them here.

Here are my rules for how I would do my own "greatest hits" albums, but you may have your own rules:

1. Two songs per each studio album; one popular track and one underrated track.

2. One song per other album (remix album, EP, etc.).

3. If a track is at least 10 minutes long or close to that, it counts as two songs.

4. Might add in one extra song for one of the albums.

5. If the length of the tracklisting exceeds 80 minutes (the CD length limit), it's split into two discs, maybe 3 discs if even longer.

6. Songs are in chronological order.

Let's start with this Norwegian symphonic gothic/melodeath band:

Trail of Tears - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5PumWxcuPRl0sgAGqglkTt (Disclosure in Red not on Spotify, songs from that album replaced with "Countdown to Ruin")

1. When Silence Cries

2. Illusion?

3. Driven Through the Ruins

4. Disappointment's True Face

5. Ecstatic

6. A Fate Sealed in Red

7. Joyless Trance of Winter

8. Dry Well of Life

9. Deceptive Mirrors

10. Shades of Yesterday

11. Bloodstained Endurance

12. A Storm at Will

13. Farewell to Sanity

14. Waves of Existence

15. Path of Destruction

16. No Colours Left

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

2 Times Terror - "D.E.A.D." from Equals One Sudden Death (2010)

4.5/5. Already making use of Turmion Katilot's roots is the opening track of its original album and this playlist. 2 Times Terror knows how to make electronic rhythms like The Berzerker but without any speed-grind. What's different compared to Turmion Katilot is the use of female vocals. All in all, we have an excellent piece of electro-metal with both male and female vocals. A well-done example of opposites attract!

Fear of Domination - "Pandemonium" from Create.Control.Exterminate (2011)

5/5. More of Saku Solin and Niina Telen's vocals come together in perhaps my favorite track of its original album. The song has some Norther vibes in both the music and vocals. Solin adds more depth and accent to his growls, and the end result is another unique blend of extreme and melodic.

Gothminister - "Darkside" from Happiness in Darkness (2008)

5/5. This highlight ascends with gloomy choir atmosphere before powerful drumming, alongside more of the hard-hitting guitars and orchestra.

Lord of the Lost - "I Will Die In It" from I Will Die In It (2025)

4.5/5. A well-done piece of gothic/industrial metal by this German band.

Genitorturers - "Liars Lair" from Sin City (1998)

4/5. Opening things up further is where Genitorturers continue riding through different stylistic territories.

Sonic Violence - "Tortured (Dub)" from Jagd (1990)

4.5/5. This next track is quite an effective one. It starts with a sample of Mozart's "Dies Irae". Then we have devastating on-off guitar riffing in mechanical greatness. You can also hear some lovely synths later on. The harsh vocals fit greatly with the lyrics.

Old - "Disconnect Self" from Lo Flux Tube (1991)

4/5. Deathly experimental industrial metal when an 8-bit-ish bass. "BODY TURN...TO ASH...TURN...TO MEMORY!!!!!"

Nine Inch Nails - "Wish" from Fixed (1992)

4.5/5. The 9-minute remix of the most well-known single of Broken, is given a minute-and-a-half long drum beat intro that crescendos into the dominating main riff.

The Amenta - "Vermin" from n0n (2008)

5/5. Another f***ing monster. It takes some time to patience to actually dig this kind of chaos, and when you do, it's all worth the experience. The vicious vocals ranging between growls, screams, and whispers are so haunting!

White Zombie - "Grease Paint and Monkey Brains" from Astro-Creep: 2000 - Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head (1995)

4.5/5. This is probably one of the least popular songs amongst the earlier metalheads. Being the young modern metal listener I am, I like it. There's more of a Static-X vibe here which isn't too bad. One of the most metal songs in the album!

Ministry - "Stigmata" from The Land of Rape and Honey (1988)

4/5. One of the best tunes displayed in its original album kicks it off with fuzzy keyboard riffing. Al Jourgensen would enter the scene with a howl of maximum distortion. The riff and beat drives the song through well.

Oddko - "D4TM" from Digital Gods (2020)

4.5/5. "D4TM" stands for "Dope for the Masses". More like "Dope for the Mad Maxes"! If you've watched the music video, you would know what I mean. This is more of a punk-ish cyber/industrial metal track. Cyberpunk has gotten a new meaning!

Deathstars - "CyberGore Generation" from Damage Theory (2010)

5/5. This standout can almost be considered "Cyber-core", blending together the cyber metal of Deathstars with a bit of the melodic metalcore of Memphis May Fire, The Autumn Offering, and Of Mice & Men.

Neurotech - "Uplift" from Evasive (2015)

4.5/5. This is the closest we have to intense heaviness, actually being the only symphonic industrial metal track in Evasive in terms of vibe.

Mechina - "Unearthing the Daedalian Ancient" from As Embers Turn to Dust (2017)

5/5. The greatest symphonic-ish highlight is followed by the greatest cyber one with this darker, heavier, more epic take on the old-school technicality of Alchemist, Dark Angel, and Pestilence. Another strong climatic composition!

Pain - "I Am" from I Am (2024)

4.5/5. Pain shall never stop! The band, of course.

Poppy - "All the Things She Said" from All the Things She Said (2020)

4/5. The edition of I Disagree I was reviewing includes a bonus cover of this t.A.T.u. hit, and interestingly enough, this is one of my favorite tracks of that album, fitting in the "metalizing covers" category by adding in dark alt-/industrial metal drama while staying true to the original. If that isn't Poppy's most emotional moment, I don't know what is!

Celldweller - "Into the Void - Sebastian Kromor Remix" from Satellites (Remixed) (2023)

4.5/5. Amazing hellfire in this remix! "Baptized by Fire" should get a similar treatment.

Tyrant of Death - "Anchorite" from Superior Firepower (2019)

4/5. Something so simple yet blasting should end up in the DOOM soundtrack. The artwork for its original album fits well with the music. Alex Rise shows his kick-A talent from beginning to end. This is especially true throughout the second third of the track. Keep up the heaviness, Alex!

Shum - "F64.00" from Pulzáló dobok tisztítják meg az eget (2024)

3.5/5. This is where things start to rotate in experimental territory.

Bliss Signal - "Swarm" from Drift (2018)

3/5. And then some blackgaze gets added to the sound.

Neo Inferno 262 - "Of Angels and Silicon" from Pleonectic (2023)

3.5/5. Maybe some strange distorted angel chanting added here as well.

Deathstars - "No Light" from Synthetic Generation (2002)

4/5. Then we get back to more familiar territory with another strong track by Deathstars.

The Project Hate MCMXCIX - "Solemn" from Death Ritual Covenant (2018)

4.5/5. The grand finale, having the melancholic melodeath of Omnium Gatherum while still covered in electro-industrial beauty.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? I recommend this to any industrial metal fan and anyone who isn't into industrial metal but is up to getting into a great start for the genre. Thanks to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Imminence - "God Fearing Man" from The Return of the Black (2025)

5/5. Another super cool start to a Revolution playlist! As always, we have the blend of beauty and brutality. And d*mn, that breakdown is one of the heaviest of this year!

Miss May I - "I.H.E." from Deathless (2015)

4.5/5. "Miss May I is a Christian band", my a**. Sure some members are Christians, but the lyrics in some songs like this one darker and filled with swearing.

Lorna Shore - "Oblivion" from Oblivion (2025)

5/5. Lorna Shore are back with their upcoming album I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me. And with their new single "Oblivion", I enjoy the music that throws back to 5 years ago in the Immortal era, along with the lyrics growled by Will Ramos. With that said, I'm hoping for more of his vocal techniques in the upcoming album, like some of his clean singing from his YouTube covers? Not too much of it, of course.

Shadow of Intent - "Gravesinger" from Melancholy (2019)

5/5. Saxy requested this for the June playlist, but I postponed it to July because I wanted to include their new single "Feeding the Meatgrinder", and I felt like giving this one some slight space after its inclusion in April 2022's Revolution playlist. Anyway, seems like Shadow of Intent took Betraying the Martyrs' earlier sound to a much darker level alongside some classical elements of Bach and Beethoven mixed with some of the most brutal metal subgenres out there. This might also include some Dimmu Borgir-like symphonic black metal in the middle. And the outro with neoclassical soloing before a symphonic closure is just EPIC.

Undying - "Reckoning" from At History's End (2003)

4.5/5. This highlight has the best of many bands past and future, including late 90s Cave In, The Ghost Inside, Killswitch Engage, and Omnium Gatherum. A brilliant start to its original album!

The Autumn Offering - "Your Time Is Mine" from Fear Will Cast No Shadow (2007)

4/5. F***ing great melodic metalcore, similar to what All That Remains would have in Overcome the following year.

Cryptopsy - "Anoint the Dead" from The Unspoken King (2008)

3.5/5. This one is a far better blend of brutality and dissonance than the rest of its original album, tearing down the walls the way technical deathcore is meant to.

Drown in Sulphur - "Absentia" from Vengeance (2025)

5/5. Speeding things up is this incredible highlight, only slowing down at the end for one of the darkest breakdowns of the year. Perhaps my favorite deathcore track here!

Bury Tomorrow - "What If I Burn" from Will You Haunt Me, with That Same Patience (2025)

4.5/5. Daniel Winter-Bates and Tom Prendergast are two of the most kick-A vocal duos in modern metal, and their new album keeps up the power of the previous one.

Orthodox - "One Less Body (feat. Brann Dailor)" from A Door Left Open (2025)

5/5. WHAT THE F***?!? This is absolutely heavy brutal nu metalcore! The only moment of clean emotion is the guest appearance by Brann Dailor of Mastodon. He has already performed guest vocals in a Bleed from Within song, so that's a cool bonus. This is also around the time when Brent Hinds left Mastodon and is callous about it.

Malevolence - "So Help Me God" from Where Only the Truth is Spoken (2025)

4.5/5. Malevolence is back at it again with another gold heavy banger from their new album.

Dal Av - "Protohuman" from Protohuman (2025)

4/5. The intro to this song is quite phenomenal in the drums, leading to the rest of this neck-straining banger featuring Hollow Front vocalist Tyler Tate. The instrumentation sounds quite killer and might come out equally well on its own. You can really feel the anger in the lyrics. Not even Rammstein can go that dark.

We Came as Romans - "Shapes" from Dreams (2008)

4.5/5. RIP Kyle Pavone. He was an essential part of what made We Came as Romans one of the best metalcore/post-hardcore bands out there. I guess you can EP planted the seed for their debut To Plant a Seed.

Ankor - "Embers" from Shoganai (2024)

4/5. My brother and I aren't the only age group (mid-20s) to discover catchy bangers by this band. Even people around our dad's age are finding good appeal here.

Bury Your Dead - "Year One" from Year One (2008)

4.5/5. I love the soloing by Mark Tremonti of Alter Bridge and Tremonti in this track, adding f***ing sweet emotion to the bada** heaviness. And the beauty bleeds into the final chorus. Myke Terry is an amazing vocalist in both Bury Your Dead and Volumes. Though I can't deny that Mat Bruso is the better deal for this band. Lots of dark emotion in the lyrics too, "It's an uphill battle, and we're losing stride". The blend of singing and screaming is what we need more of, not just from Myke Terry. This is true metalcore, unlike when people think The Black Dahlia Murder is metalcore (they're melodeath) and a few generic bands out there, no disrespect there. So if you wish to be open-minded, think twice before turning your back on the hardcore/metalcore scene.

Architects - "Even If You Win, You're Still a Rat" from Daybreaker (2012)

5/5. And even if the haters win, they're still rats. This awesome highlight has guest vocals by Bring Me the Horizon vocalist Oli Sykes. It's just 3 minutes of metalcore chaos, just the way I love it!

Confessions of a Traitor - "Fearless" from Guided (2019)

4.5/5. Confessions of a Traitor can strike hard with their metalcore sound without fear.

The Number Twelve Looks Like You - "Clarissa Explains Cuntainment" from Nuclear. Sad. Nuclear (2005)

5/5. I wanna set this as my phone's alarm tone. This is one of my favorite songs by this band, with so much to enjoy like the riff 30 seconds in and the one starting the final 30 seconds. And it would work as well without vocals which are also great.

Botch - "Closure" from The Unifying Themes of Sex, Death and Religion (1997)

4.5/5. Then we slam into this track from a various artists compilation. A true trail of noise and destruction!

Frontierer - "Glitcher" from Unloved (2018)

4/5. This mathcore banger barely disappoints at all.

Ion Dissonance - "O.A.S.D." from Solace (2005)

4.5/5. Some of the most brutal sh*t in mathcore right here! Especially in the killer breakdown at the one-minute mark. There's no harmony and barely any set structure and it works greatly, with lyrics suitable for battling enemies in video games. Truly emotional in the raging side! And they never have to go as deathly brutal as Despised Icon nor make any of the symphonic turns Winds of Plague has. This really should've been as popular as Justin Bieber, maybe even more so.

The Chariot - "The Deaf Policemen" from The Fiancee (2007)

4/5. The more melodic riffing here seems to have taken some cues from Nirvana, but I enjoy the lyrics here, especially at the ending, "If there's blood on the roots, then there is blood on the branches".

Polaris - "Fault Line" from Fatalism (2023)

4.5/5. This one starts soft in the synths before launching into another easy yet impressive banger.

Calva Louise - "Impeccable" from Impeccable (2025)

4/5. Great song with more of Jess Allanic's impressive vocals. I gotta thank my brother for recommending this track to me.

Demon Hunter - "Light Bends" from Light Bends (2025)

4.5/5. I'm not even Christian and yet I end up getting strong faith, thanks to this solid banger.

Blessthefall - "See You on the Outside" from Hollow Bodies (2013)

5/5. Absolutely perfect music and lyrics here! I really enjoy this one striking my metalcore/post-hardcore heart. Escape the Fate vocalist Craig Mabbitt was in this band for their debut before joining that other band.

Moments - "Black Widow" from Hopes & Dreams (2015)

4.5/5. Let's take a moment to enjoy this modern metalcore track.

Wage War - "Will We Ever Learn" from Pressure (2019)

5/5. "Death walks among us, his sword hangs above us."

The Amity Affliction - "All That I Remember" from All That I Remember (2025)

4.5/5. We need more content from this band with their new bassist/clean vocalist Jonathan Reeves, originally from Kingdom of Giants.

Wolves at the Gate - "Unrest" from Wasteland (2025)

5/5. Let's end this playlist with what might just be my new favorite song by Wolves at the Gate, and perhaps one of the best of this year! I have a feeling there will be a sequel album titled Borderland, based on the ending lyric, "Come out the wasteland into the Borderland." I also enjoy other lyrics such as "I need a remedy, I hear my elegy singing the last verse", and the drumming especially at around the one and a half minute mark. Absolutely fantastic and can easily decimate their earlier post-hardcore material. One of the heaviest parts is the breakdown complete with a "SHUT UP!!!" scream more powerful than that of Linkin Park's "One Step Closer". Truly a killer way out!

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? I recommend this to any metalcore fan and anyone who isn't into metalcore but is up to getting into a great start for the genre. Thanks to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Nightwish - "The Poet and the Pendulum" from Dark Passion Play (2007)

4.5/5. Ah yeah, let's start this playlist with what I still think is one of the greatest symphonic metal album opening epics! 5 parts go on through an incredible 14 minutes. But why should I describe them all? It's too beautiful for words. Just listen and learn!

Deep Purple - "Speed King" from Deep Purple in Rock (1970)

4/5. This classic opener starts off this Deep Purple album in a bang with fast distorted shredding before fading into soft ambient organ. Then the hard rock/heavy metal rolls in, and you might not agree with me here, but this is practically proto-speed metal! Maybe close to speed rock? Still the organ shines in some sections. An upbeat way to begin this early example of a heavy metal album!

Black Sabbath - "Sweet Leaf" from Master of Reality (1971)

4.5/5. I love you, "Sweet Leaf"! The song, not the drug. I don't do drugs. This is a slow-ish early heavy metal song that can also come across as proto-stoner metal. I also love the soloing at the 3-minute mark that hints at the D-flat tuning Tony Iommi would in other songs from that album.

Ozzy Osbourne - "No More Tears" from No More Tears (1991)

4/5. Interestingly, this reminds me a lot of the second half of one of my YouTube pen-pal Danny Ultrawiz's songs, the progressive ballad "Thinking About You". I practically forgot about that Danny Ultrawiz song until I stumbled upon this Ozzy Osbourne. I wondering if that's part of what inspired it. Anyway, I enjoy the vocals, but the spoken words are hard to understand.

Rainbow - "Stargazer" from Rising (1976)

4.5/5. One of the greatest songs of 70s hard rock/heavy metal, hinting at both progressive and power metal tendencies. RIP DIO

Diamond Head - "Am I Evil?" from Lightning to the Nations (1980)

4/5. One more killer heavy metal epic. It was covered by Metallica and the entire Lightning to the Nations album was re-recorded for its 40th anniversary.

Fireforce - "The Battle of Ramadi" from The Battle of Ramadi (2025)

3.5/5. Some good kick-A thrashy power metal right here, sending the enemies into the lungs of Hell.

Iron Maiden - "Flight of Icarus" from Piece of Mind (1983)

3/5. Decent song, but better for my dad's generation, no offense. "Fly on your way like an eagle..."

Queensryche - "Take Hold of the Flame" from The Warning (1984)

3.5/5. Same with this one, although I enjoy Geoff Tate's golden singing and the soloing by Chris DeGarmo.

Airforce - "The Fury" from Acts of Madness (2025)

4/5. Wow, there are quite a few heavy/power metal bands whose name ends with "force"; Fireforce, Airforce, DragonForce... Anyway, it continues that classic heavy metal sound of Iron Maiden and early Queensryche, but better and more modernized.

Stratovarius - "Hunting High and Low" from Infinite (2000)

4.5/5. Still a power metal classic after all these years, like since I first heard it over 10 years before this comment. Lots of great melody here! And apparently its been associated a lot with Dragon Ball Z Budokai.

Visions of Atlantis - "Hellfire" from Pirates II: Armada (2024)

5/5. Wow... I thought I've distanced myself from exploring more female-fronted symphonic metal after the ones I've already heard of (apart from Mechina and other more extreme bands), but this is epic! Awesome power in the vocals and instrumentation, like Nightwish gone Alestorm.

Manticora - "Echoes of a Silent Scream" from To Kill to Live to Kill (2018)

4.5/5. Not gonna lie, this is one of the most intense power metal songs I've heard. Solid heavy/melodic gold! Thanks for this, Sonny.

Alestorm - "The Storm" from The Thunderfist Chronicles (2025)

4/5. Another pirate metal storm awaits for Alestorm. I really enjoy the guitar soloing that is like its own lyric-less vocal melody.

Gloryhammer - "He Has Returned" from He Has Returned (2024)

4.5/5. As for Christopher Bowes' other band Gloryhammer, Angus McFife has returned with a new voice in their new album Return to the Kingdom of Fife. This song never disappoints and details an exciting robot battle that would fit well in Ultrakill.

Warkings - "Kings of Ragnarok" from Kings of Ragnarok (2025)

4/5. Although I'm past my power metal prime, there are still bangers like this for me to love. Great song to touch the hearts of power metal fans!

Sabaton - "Hordes of Khan" from Hordes of Khan (2025)

4.5/5. Sabaton is back with a new single about the Hungarians battling against the Mongol Empire formed under the wrath of Khan. Genghis Khan. I don't care what some people say, there's lots of chaotic energy that hasn't left the band. It's a nice break from their two new albums centered around World War I. So simple yet killer!

Battle Beast - "Last Goodbye" from Last Goodbye (2025)

4/5. I'm thankful that bands like Battle Beast haven't said their last goodbye yet, when we have catchy bangers like this one.

Time Requiem - "Visions of New Dawn" from Time Requiem (2002)

3.5/5. Progressive neoclassical metal sounds quite cool though a little too cheesy. With that said, I like the keyboard work by Richard Andersson and the vocals by Apollo Papathanasio who would later join Firewind. Time Requiem didn't really last as long as Firewind though. I also like the Dream Theater vibes here.

Symphony X - "In the Dragon's Den" from Twilight of Olympus (1998)

4/5. Symphony X also kick a** with the progressive neoclassical metal sound. Sometimes, melody doesn't have to be as deathly as Dark Tranquillity and In Flames. You can get it from bands that are meant to sound like Symphony X, Stratovarius, and Nightwish. Short songs balance out against the longer epics like the 20-minute title epic of the previous album The Divine Wings of Tragedy.

Volbeat - "Evelyn" from Beyond Hell / Above Heaven (2010)

4.5/5. You want what sounds like Alter Bridge gone Entombed?! The guest vocals by Barney Greenway of Napalm Death are a killer surprise! Then the heaviness is dialed back by the usual rock-ish chorus. We need more heavy hammering tracks like this, honestly.

Xerath - "Veil Part 2" from Xerath III (2014)

5/5. Holding on to the epic intensity once more, the closing track of its original album and this playlist makes one final move at combining film score-style orchestra with metal, and it pays off, adding beautiful harmony to this apocalyptic chaos.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? I recommend this to any heavy/power/symphonic/neoclassical metal fan and anyone who isn't into those genres but is up to getting into a great start for the genre. Thanks to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here's my review summary:

Conflиct has diverse maturity in their songwriting. The blend of industrial and groove is quite fresh and is different from how other bands do it. I enjoy Anna Hel's growls here, filled with emotion and passion. However, her cleans rely a little too much on autotune and almost come out as unnatural. I'm glad her contributions with Mechina involve just her growls. The riffing is often djenty, though they sometimes soften in the background to let the vocals shine. I enjoy this catchy heavy-melodic blend, often exploring the more progressive side of the djent-ish industrial groove metal sound that intrigues me. For those wanting more of the heavier side of Sybreed but with a female vocalist, I would recommend this offering. And I'm up to hearing more of Anna Hel's vocals. Well, mostly her growls....

4/5

Recommended tracks: "Circular Transition", "Mechanism of Life", "Rebuild the Parasite", "Half Man, Half Machine", "The Elements of a New Era", "Invisible Thread"

For fans of: Fear Factory, Mechina (especially Anna Hel's guest appearances), Sybreed

Here's my review summary:

Metalcore bands like Undying have really touched the hearts of people who were around my age (mid-20s) or younger back then. As always, Undying provide their melodic metalcore sound that was only in the early stages of popularity. There are some things different in At History's End compared to the previous album. More direct melodies, more hardcore riffs, and more poetic lyrics, the latter recited by female vocalist Logan White, replacing Timothy Roy. You gotta admire Logan's lyrical spirit! At History's End really should've had as much love and recognition as the more mainstream bands out there. Still it's fine staying underground. Now that the band has reformed recently, they now have time to create a new part of their melodic metalcore evolution and maybe hit that perfect 5-star mark. Their history shall be ongoing!

4.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Reckoning", "As Above", "For the Dying", "The Age of Grace"

For fans of: Allegiance-era As Blood Runs Black, early Killswitch Engage, Prayer for Cleansing

Here's my review summary:

I think we can thank two talented masterminds here for the brilliant idea of mixing metal and progressive jaxx, starting with the amazing guitarist Ron Jarzombek. He can handle time signatures and tempos in an impressive way that barely anyone else can with technical riffs and jazzy solos. The audible bass playing of Doug Keyser is PERFECT!!! Standing by with the guitar like a 3-legged race. What a duo of geniuses! Of course we can't ignore the other two band members, including vocalist Alan Tecchio. His high vocals are a usual part of progressive thrash, performed so well. It's impressive how high he can go while following the music. It sounds like he can do it normally with no struggle. Excellent! And finally, there's Rick Colaluca, whose style is very much the same as you would hear in jazz fusion. Imagine having an octopus drummer who's a fan of jazz and Megadeth, that's Rick right there! He has to make all those intricate time signature patterns, and yet it's all performed flawlessly. Keyser wrote and co-wrote all of the songs in this album, and Jarzombek has helped with some of the writing assisting him with the jazzy guitar progression as usual. Many highlights have insane jazzy soloing from Jarzombek as Keyser continues his amazing bass journey. So yeah, Control and Resistance deserves a perfect 5 stars for being able to add jazz into prog-thrash without messing anything up, with all that inspiring technicality and masterful writing. This is a jazzy metal treat to love!

5/5

Recommended tracks: "Instruments of Random Murder", "The Eldritch", "The Fall of Reason", "Hidden Instincts", "Dangerous Toy"

For fans of: Fates Warning, Sieges Even, Think This-era Toxik

Here's my review summary:

When lead vocalist Marc Hudson joined the band, some changes were made compared to the ZP Theart era. The songs are shorter and more restrained in length (except for an 11-minute epic), but they've added more adventurous diversity. Warp Speed Warriors sees the band exploring different territories as they did in Extreme Power Metal while not drastically diverting from their usual sound. So expect the usual speed, anthemic power, slight humor, and a cover song more powerful than its original (though it still can't beat the previous album's Celine Dion cover). As always, the band has shown what power metal should really be; fast tempos and technical soloing added to the genre's usual dose of epic and uplifting melody. But they sometimes like to make things more interesting and fresh by slowing things down for an 80s rock-inspired ballad and a couple goofy fun mid-tempo tracks. The deluxe edition comes with alternate editions of several tracks, the first 3 of which have guests from bands like Trivium, Arch Enemy, and Amaranthe. Talk about a powerhouse of metal guests! And they all perform their roles well. Hail the warriors!

4.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Astro Warrior Anthem"*, "Burning Heart"*, "Doomsday Party"*, "The Killer Queen", "Pixel Prison"

*Including guest vocalist editions

For fans of: Amaranthe, Gloryhammer, Kamelot

Thanks again, Daniel!

https://metal.academy/hall/589

https://metal.academy/hall/590

https://metal.academy/hall/588

I've passed "Odyssey (un)Dead" uncontested & have created this Hall of Judgement entry for "In Waking: Divinity":

https://metal.academy/hall/587

Good feedback, David! I see you've been enjoying a lot of the deathcore and mathcore in my playlist, plus a few melodic metalcore tracks. I would recommend to you the albums those songs have appeared on, especially Ritual Hymns which is one of my all-time favorite symphonic blackened deathcore albums that isn't Lorna Shore and a perfect way to get into that kind of style. Also please feel free to submit one or two tracks per month for the monthly Revolution playlists. Here's the thread to submit tracks: https://metal.academy/forum/14/thread/484

Ben, please add The Breathing Process' 2003 non-demo EP Dialog Analysis for the Heartless.

Thanks Daniel.

Thanks Daniel.

https://metal.academy/hall/586

https://metal.academy/hall/585

https://metal.academy/hall/584

https://metal.academy/hall/583

https://metal.academy/hall/582

Thanks Daniel.

https://metal.academy/hall/580

https://metal.academy/hall/581

And now for one of the more popular bands in the British metalcore scene:

Architects - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3FtIkUc39AkCf6T5QLonHk

1. You Don't Walk Away From Dismemberment

2. In the Desert

3. Buried at Sea

4. Heartless

5. One of These Days

6. Stay Young Forever

7. Alpha Omega

8. Even If You Win, You're Still a Rat

9. Naysayer

10. Dead Man Talking

11. Castles in the Air

12. The Empty Hourglass

13. Memento Mori

14. Death is Not Defeat

15. Doomsday

16. Black Lungs

17. Impermanence

18. Born Again Pessimist

19. Judgement Day

20. Seeing Red

And now for one of the more popular bands in the British metalcore scene:

Architects

1. Lost Forever // Lost Together

2. All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us

3. Daybreaker

4. Holy Hell

5. Nightmares

6. The Sky, the Earth & All Between

7. Ruin

8. For Those That Wish to Exist

9. Hollow Crown

10. The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit

11. The Here and Now

I've done my review, here's its summary:

Architects has fully redeemed themselves after the poor Hollow Crown (still enjoyable by others) and the unloved Here and Now. The excellent Daybreaker and the incredible Lost Forever Lost Together are just what we need in the metalcore realms! And with All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us, the distant past remains the past. Most of the songs have a perfect blend of brutality and melody within the Meshuggah-infused technical djent-core that spreads through a lot of the album. You can expect anthemic choruses, complex riffing rhythms, and a dark galactic atmosphere. And it all ends with Architect's longest song and one of the most heartful tear-shedding tracks in all of metalcore, "Memento Mori". This astonishing epic, along with the rest of this album, was written, recorded, and released in the last months of the life of Tom Searle, and the lyrics include a couple recorded quotes from Alan Watts that perfectly do justice to the inevitable transcendence into infinite darkness that awaited him. Absolutely amazing, emotional, and deserving to be heard beyond the universe. RIP this amazing legend... As awesome as many metalcore bands are to me, Architects stands out with all of its heartful emotion in All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us. Clearly, they deserve to be on top with Meshuggah, Converge, and TDEP. And all their mistakes from the past are left in the forgotten void.

4.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Nihilist", "Deathwish", "Downfall", "The Empty Hourglass", "Gravity", "Memento Mori"

For fans of: August Burns Red, ERRA, Silent Planet

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Fear of Domination - "Fear of Domination" from Call of Schizophrenia (2009)

5/5. It starts off clean but heavy in what can be the band's own theme song. You can hear some background cleans by keyboardist Niina Telen. Awesome start!

White Zombie - "Super Charger Heaven" from Astro-Creep: 2000 - Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head (1995)

4.5/5. This one's a great thrash-rock highlight. The drums have wicked kicks! The only downside is Zombie's vocals not sounding as aggressive or deep as they should. Still it's one of the best songs here!

Skrew - "Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame" from Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame (1992)

4/5. Skrew's 1991 debut's title track unleashes as much industrial destruction as Ministry's The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste.

Pitchshifter - "Gravid Rage" from Industrial (1991)

4.5/5. This one is another highlight of industrial metal machinery with convincing growls by Mark Clayden. Oh yeah, Mark is the bassist of the band, but he also performed vocals in this album. His brother J.S. would take over on vocals from their Submit EP onwards, though he's done additional vocals in their debut.

A Dark Halo - "Vector Unknown" from Omnibus One (2023)

5/5. Now this is darker and heavier, featuring Anna Hel. The softer cleans and heavier screams alternating between each other sound so haunting. It's like a lurking menace in the space of tranquility, turning it intense and bleak. The cleans still shine, along with the creativity in the music. The band is never afraid to explore the unknown, and as a result, we have another wonderful standout!

Illidiance - "Defying Gravity" from The Iconoclast (2019)

4.5/5. Obviously it's not a Wicked cover (thank goodness!), though it's quite diverse with everything from progressive/djenty bands like Periphery and Chaos Divine, to modern/melodic bands like Mnemic and Of Mice & Men. Now that's wicked!

KONG - "P.R.O.K.O.V." from Mute Poet Vocalizer (1990)

4/5. This one has cool riffing by guitar duo Aldo Sprenger and Dirk de Vries. While some might consider the circus audio sample odd, it helps make that track one of my favorites in its original album.

Sonic Violence - "Symptom" from Jagd (1990)

4.5/5. This is shorter and less varied, but it doesn't need to have a lot to sound amazing, especially in the final climax.

Meathook Seed - "A Furred Grave" from Embedded (1993)

4/5. The best of Peres' vocal alternation occurs in this one.

Ministry - "Jesus Built My Hotrod" from Psalm 69 (1992)

4.5/5. I'm already familiar with this crazy highlight via the Lamb of God/Burn the Priest cover. The song has an interesting narrative and fun lyrics, sung by the Butthole Surfers' Gibby Haynes.

Psyclon Nine - "I Choose Violence" from And Then Oblivion (2025)

5/5. In real life, I wouldn't choose violence as the answer, but I would choose dark violent trap-ish industrial metal to listen to.

Rammstein - "Ich Tu Dir Weh" from Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da (2009)

4.5/5. And then the violence turns sexual. The BDSM-themed lyrics were too extreme for the German public market and its original album had to be reissued with the track omitted. Still I enjoy the anthemic-sounding chorus here.

Circle of Dust - "Dust to Dust" from Dust to Dust (2017)

5/5. A powerful masterpiece track that is apparently meant to be an early hint for an upcoming Circle of Dust release. I have an awesome feeling about that album...

Celldweller - "Blackstar" from Wish Upon a Blackstar (2012)

4.5/5. One of the best songs in this album by Klayton's other project, Celldweller!

Sybreed - "Doomsday Party" from The Pulse of Awakening (2009)

5/5. This highlight is quite fun. Not as fun as that DragonForce track from 15 years later, but here, Sybreed have their own way of channeling 80s pop with its catchy chorus while staying metal. This more lively sound was first hinted in Antares, and it sounds like the coldness of Slave Design has been left behind.

Subway to Sally - "Post Mortem" from Post Mortem (2024)

4.5/5. An amazing blend of Neue Deutsche Härte and medieval folk, and you definitely wanna stay from beginning to end.

Filter - "For the Beaten" from For the Beaten (2023)

4/5. For an uplifting song with soaring vocals, it sure has some of the heaviest fire in industrial metal riffing.

Stahlhammer - "Can't Touch This" from Wiener Blut (1997)

3.5/5. One of only two songs I like in that sh*tty Stahlhammer album, fitting in the "metalizing covers" category.

Tyrant of Death - "Fluorescent" from Singles & Extras (2018)

3/5. Not the best I've heard from this project, but I'm glad to have a djenty industrial metal instrumental here.

Mick Gordon - "Rip & Tear" from Doom (Original Game Soundtrack) (2016)

3.5/5. And another one of that style! Demons better look out, as the DoomSlayer plans to RIP AND TEAR.

Conflict - "Mechanism of Life" from Transform into a Human (2014)

4/5. Now this is a true winning highlight. It sounds nicely like a sequel to the title track of Mechina's "The Assembly of Tyrants", along with having a Xerath-esque blend of symphonics and groove elements. I also love the anthemic chorus.

Death SS - "Panic" from Panic (2000)

3.5/5. Steve Sylvester can make some dark haunting songs with his band Death SS, which is basically Ghost before Ghost. I love the chorus here! And the keyboards after that sound so eerie. This is basically gothic/heavy metal gone electro-industrial. You can get the darkness of Behemoth and Vader without ever going as deathly as those bands. Still I prefer to get my dark beauty elsewhere.

Fange - "Grand-Guignol" from Purulences (2025)

4/5. And by elsewhere, I mean in the form of sludgy industrial metal.

Khost - "Transfixed" from Many Things Afflict Us Few Things Console Us (2024)

4.5/5. And more of that but with more electronics and less sludge. But we'll get something more epic in the next track...

Mechina - "Anagenesis" from Progenitor (2016)

5/5. One h*ll of a cyber metal epic. The intro reminds me of Apocalyptica with its melancholic violins and cello, then the usual symphonic cyber metal goes on like a more orchestral blend of Alchemist and Northlane. Absolute futuristic glory!

Death Therapy, Brook Reeves - "Reject" from Reject (2020)

4.5/5. I stumbled upon this cover of a song I included in last month's Revolution playlist, by Death Therapy (a side-project by Becoming the Archetype's Jason Wisdom) featuring Brook Reeves (Impending Doom). Quite a sick unique combo! Now we need Fit for a King covering one of Living Sacrifice's later metalcore songs. I also hear some Argyle Park vibes in this Death Therapy cover. Maybe there should've been some soloing to make up for the hip-hop-ish beat. But never mind, I won't mess with it.

Lord of the Lost - "Ordinary World" from Weapons of Mass Seduction (2023)

4/5. And finally we end with a beautiful cover of a Duran Duran ballad. Although they've really done that song justice, even with Chris Harms' bass-baritone vocal range (similar to my own), I still prefer Mechina's cover, which sadly isn't on Spotify.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? I recommend this to any industrial metal fan and anyone who isn't into industrial metal but is up to getting into a great start for the genre. Thanks to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Apocalyptica - "Worlds Collide" from Worlds Collide (2007)

5/5. A masterpiece track to begin this playlist! Cellos and metal collide and swirl amongst each other like fire and water. A band that started as a Metallica tribute band ended up becoming pioneers of cello metal. This song has also been used as a New Japan entrance theme.

Nightwish - "Wishmaster" from Wishmaster (2000)

4.5/5. Epic chorus, beastly guitars... This still reigns as one of my favorite Nightwish songs for over a decade. I can hear Dragonlance/Lord of the Rings lyrical influences.

Volbeat - "The Human Instrument" from Rock the Rebel / Metal the Devil (2007)

4/5. My brother likes a few songs by Volbeat, and this one I can like and accept.

Serpent Rider - "Radiant" from The Ichor of Chimaera (2025)

3.5/5. This attempt at a female-fronted revival of classic heavy/power metal is pretty good but not that suiting for me. Still a nice choice, Sonny!

Iron Maiden - "The Evil That Men Do" from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)

4/5. When Iron Maiden first entered the NWOBHM scene, it really changed it forever. The soloing and the lyrics can get you hooked, "Living on the razor's edge, balancing on a ledge, y'know, y'know..."

Black Sabbath - "Iron Man" from Paranoid (1970)

3.5/5. It's astonishing how old this song is now, like 55 years old. With that said, I can't really get as much appeal from that track as some of Black Sabbath's other hits.

Ozzy Osbourne - "Flying High Again" from Diary of a Madman (1981)

3/5. The early 1980s was a time when classic heavy metal was really branching out beyond Black Sabbath. However, it spawns a bit of the glam sh*t hinted in this track. Still the guitarwork by Randy Rhoads is something I enjoy. RIP

Megadeth - "Symphony of Destruction" from Countdown to Extinction (1992)

3.5/5. I haven't really listened to much of this band or Metallica to see where I stand in the debate between those two bands. Not even Slayer, apart from a couple albums! However, did Slayer ever explore classic heavy metal in the 90s? NOPE.

Metallica - "Moth Into Flame" from Hardwired...to Self-Destruct (2016)

4/5. Metallica battle against the sellout claims by blending their Black Album heavy metal sound with their earlier speed.

Queensryche - "Neue Regel" from Rage of Order (1986)

4.5/5. I'm 26 years old as of this comment. A few years ago, I enjoyed bands like Queensryche, but now, I want to focus on darker heavier modern metal genres. Nonetheless, the truth is, I still enjoy a few amazing songs from the band like this one. There also some slight hints of industrial all used in their mid-90s material. If I could have a time machine, I would travel back 40 years to enjoy music from the 80s while it was still fresh. Excellent vocals and lyrics!

Rainbow - "Gates of Babylon" from Long Live Rock N Roll (1978)

4/5. This one takes you on a journey through the Middle-East, both musically and lyrically, from the keyboard intro, to the mystical riffing, and the vocal power in the chorus. Although keyboardist Tony Carey was still around for a few other tracks in this album, David Stone stepped in with his own keyboard contributions in this track and a few others, here to provide an exotic atmosphere and get you hooked alongside Blackmore's riffs. I love this track!

Brainstorm - "Your Soul That Lingers in Me" from Plague of Rats (2025)

3.5/5. One of only two tracks I like from this Brainstorm album, Leaves' Eyes clean vocalist Elina Siirala's impressive vocals blow away most of the album's tough issues.

HammerFall - "The Dragon Lies Bleeding" from Glory to the Brave (1997)

4/5. Another great heavy/power metal track that I still enjoy to this day!

Battle Beast - "Out of Control" from Battle Beast (2013)

4.5/5. I also love this Battle Beast track and Sabaton's cover.

DragonForce - "Tomorrow's Kings" from Maximum Overload (2014)

5/5. Another one of my favorite track from my true power metal heroes, with awesome catchiness.

Mob Rules - "Future Loom" from Future Loom (2025)

4.5/5. An amazing song with power and glory in the music and complex lyrics!

Unleash the Archers - "Crypt" from Time Stands Still (2015)

5/5. It's so cool hearing power metal blended with metalcore-ish melodeath. All hail Unleash the Archers!

Masterplan - "Heroes" from Masterplan (2003)

5/5. The first time I heard Jorn Lande and Michael Kiske together was in one of Avantasia's tracks. This clearly shows the heroic side of power metal, and a heroic side that I love! Definitely has some Stratovarius vibes here. I should really check out more of this band and kick-A songs like this one.

Blind Guardian - "Ashes to Ashes" from Somewhere Far Beyond (Revisited) (2024)

4.5/5. Such an underrated song by Blind Guardian, still being one of my favorites from this band. While Helloween may take the throne as the creators of European power metal, Blind Guardian should get that fame as well. Although I enjoy this new version, I still prefer the original one, y'know, so I can feel the nostalgia of first encounter that track nearly a decade ago.

Mechina - "Bellum Interruptum" from Bellum Interruptum (2025)

5/5. My favorite track of the brand-new Mechina album, one of the best Mechina tracks I've heard in ages, a 10-minute epic that includes a spine-chillingly beautiful two-minute bridge in the middle.

Time Requiem - "Attar of Roses" from The Inner Circle of Reality (2004)

4.5/5. Excellent virtuoso in this one! There is also some progressiveness from Symphony X and Dream Theater. I also enjoy the vocals by Apollo Papathanasio (Firewind) and the keyboard magic of Richard Andersson.

Warmen - "Return of Salieri" from Accept the Fact (2005)

5/5. Mozart would've been proud of this powerful composition. So would Alexi Laiho. RIP

Orden Ogan - "The Long Darkness" from The Order of Fear (2024)

4.5/5. A nice headbanging closing epic in practically all its glory!

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? I recommend this to any heavy/power/symphonic/neoclassical metal fan and anyone who isn't into those genres but is up to getting into a great start for the genre. Thanks to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here's my review summary:

One of the albums that marked a defining landmark in industrial metal is Godflesh's Streetcleaner. The torch would be shared with other different bands of this genre and era. Jagd is a bleak heavy continuation of Godflesh's sound in Streetcleaner, albeit by a much lesser-known band. Guitars are the key, and so are the d*mn destructive drums! They're often slow and sludgy with not much speed. All just repetitive yet mighty rhythms. The guitars are pretty much rhythmic all the way through. There aren't any harmonics that are as slashing as the cover art (see what I mean!?). Those riff chords have an apocalyptic vibe and perfectly fit well with the bass and drums. As a result, the tone is filled with menacing power. Honestly, I love old-school industrial metal when it has that mechanical rage going on, unlike the more dance-y sh*t from some bands. You can't give the machine any impact to make it stop. The impact that happens is what the machine gives you. You don't have time to relax in any peaceful moment before the bleak industrial riffing crashes in and crushes anything its path in mechanical greatness. You can also hear some lovely synths later on. The harsh vocals fit greatly with the lyrics. Jagd might just be my favorite industrial metal album from 1990 or earlier that isn't Godflesh. A true recommendation!

4.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Saturation", "Tortured (Dub)", "Ritual", "Symptom", "Glory"

For fans of: Fear Factory's slower but heavier tracks, Godflesh, early 90s Pitchshifter

Here's my review summary, which I've copied from an earlier post:

Roadrunner Records is one of the most famous and diverse metal/hard rock record labels of all time. Famous and infamous bands signed to the label like Slipknot, Trivium, Fear Factory, and Machine Head have made the label as big as it is. And the then-core members of each of those 4 bands were chosen for ambitious project conceived by ex-vice president of the label Monte Conner. He wanted to do a special thing for Roadrunner's 25th anniversary. He wanted 4 members of different bands band together to make an album dedicated to the label. But then he decided to upgrade his idea into something more ambitious... The 4 chosen ones, ex-Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison (RIP), Trivium frontman Matt Heafy, Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares, and Machine Head frontman Robb Flynn were tasked in each recording 4 songs (though one captain would have a bonus 5th) and choose any member of a Roadrunner-signed band past or present to record with them. The end result is a massive 18-song 77-minute album featuring 57 artists from 45 bands! Here's to another impressive project like this in the future, hopefully in Roadrunner's 50th year, 2030.

4/5

Recommended tracks: "The Dagger", "The Enemy", "In the Fire", "The End", "Tired 'n Lonely", "Baptized in the Redemption", "Blood and Flames", "I Don't Wanna Be (A Superhero)", "Army of the Sun"

For fans of: Fear Factory, Machine Head, Slipknot, Trivium, and pretty much every band whose members were involved here

Put this on today during a rain break in between jobs, thinking I would get it out of the way, but it turns out that it is actually very good and is interesting enough to deserve a proper hearing, so it seems like I will have to spend a bit more time with it. I am only halfway through as I type this, but it already has my attention. I hope to eventually get round to a full review, but nice choice Andi, I am enjoying it very much. I also didn't even realise it was christian metal until I had a quick peek at your review.

https://metal.academy/hall/577

https://metal.academy/hall/578

https://metal.academy/hall/579

https://metal.academy/hall/576

https://metal.academy/hall/575

Some of you already know my "Perfect Metal Album Storm" (start with the second-best track, put the third-best track right in the middle, and end with the ultimate best track), but some of my favorite albums have the first track (or first full song) as the best one, and it already makes me think of what an awesome album it might be.

I've listened to a lot of perfect releases with the best highlight for each one being the opening song. It was hard choosing which ones would make my top 10, but here they are (the intro is not included for each release) (kind of a cheat that most of these are title tracks, but never mind):

1. Trivium - In Waves - "In Waves" (2011)

2. All That Remains - The Fall of Ideals - "This Calling" (2006)

3. Make Them Suffer - Neverbloom - "Neverbloom" (2012)

4. Godflesh - Streetcleaner - "Like Rats" (1989)

5. Voivod - Killing Technology - "Killing Technology" (1987)

6. Code Orange - Forever - "Forever" (2017)

7. Earth Crisis - Firestorm - "Firestorm" (1993)

8. Lorna Shore - Immortal - "Immortal" (2020)

9. Killswitch Engage - Killswitch Engage - "Temple from the Within" (2000)

10. Trail of Tears - Winds of Disdain - "Winds of Disdain" (2024)

So what are your top 10 albums with the best opening tracks (or opening full songs)? Discuss!

Thanks, Daniel.

I've passed these two nominations uncontested Andi.

I've passed these two nominations uncontested Andi.

I've passed this nomination uncontested Andi.

I've passed this nomination uncontested Andi.

Perhaps I just ignored it, but I never heard anyone mention this before finding this out today. Though I must admit I don't pay attention to djent or metalcore. Even so, I am mildly surprised that I was gone for a few days and suddenly there's a new genre.

That said, wasn't RYM supposed to have genres that aren't just made up random crap which might as well be what a band calls themselves? I remember that used to be a sticking point, but it seems whenever someone here brings up the site their sticking points disappear more and more. Like, I'm not saying things have to have Wikipedia pages, but it seems like this doesn't have much beyond the words of bands, who we don't trust to give themselves genres.

Inspired by one of my current favorite YouTube channels Thralls of Metal, I decided to also get in the "band's greatest hits" trend of compiling tracks from different albums by a band as your own "greatest hits" kind of album. If you have any of your own "greatest hits" albums for your favorite bands, feel free to post them here.

Here are my rules for how I would do my own "greatest hits" albums, but you may have your own rules:

1. Two songs per each studio album; one popular track and one underrated track.

2. One song per other album (remix album, EP, etc.).

3. If a track is at least 10 minutes long or close to that, it counts as two songs.

4. Might add in one extra song for one of the albums.

5. If the length of the tracklisting exceeds 80 minutes (the CD length limit), it's split into two discs, maybe 3 discs if even longer.

6. Songs are in chronological order.

Let's start with these two underrated bands:

Mechina

Disc 1 - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/46x2HxpNaUfLUQrisTSXCn

1. Shattered Cry

2. The Assembly of Tyrants

3. Reclamation of Mortal Nature (2007)

4. Pray to the Winds

5. The Iron Law

6. Elephtheria

7. Empyrean

8. Xenon

9. Tartarus

10. The Hyperion Threnody

11. The Horizon Effect

12. Anagenesis

Disc 2 - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6cJyYF0YNeV9fdSNJKuU05

1. Godspeed, Vanguards

2. Unearthing the Daedalian Ancient

3. Gene Heresy

4. Freedom Foregone

5. Venator

6. When Virtue Meets Steel

7. The Grand Hunt

8. Broken Matter Manipulation

9. Bellum Interruptum

10. The Collapsed Promised to All

Neurotech

Disc 1 - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1fe4e87QJUw8Ej9JxkUUEu

1. Transhuman

2. We are the Last

3. Blue Screen Planet (Part II Revelation)

4. The Cyber Waltz

5. The Race to Recovery

6. Decipher

7. Atlas

8. Ultra Us

9. Through Hardships

10. To Theta State

11. Uplfit

12. Alleviate

Disc 2 - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3Ez1KEPtulPw0SbevFYHRI

1. The Halcyon Symphony

2. The Catalyst

3. At a Standstill

4. Ectogenesis

5. Koma

6. Light Betides

7. The Messianic Symphony

8. The Serpent Bites

9. The Years of the Flood

10. Echoes of the Fall

11. Memory Eternal

12. New Source Code

13. Escapism

Inspired by one of my current favorite YouTube channels Thralls of Metal, I decided to also get in the "band's greatest hits" trend of compiling tracks from different albums by a band as your own "greatest hits" kind of album. If you have any of your own "greatest hits" albums for your favorite bands, feel free to post them here.

Here are my rules for how I would do my own "greatest hits" albums, but you may have your own rules:

1. Two songs per each studio album; one popular track and one underrated track.

2. One song per other album (remix album, EP, etc.).

3. If a track is at least 10 minutes long or close to that, it counts as two songs.

4. Might add in one extra song for one of the albums.

5. If the length of the tracklisting exceeds 80 minutes (the CD length limit), it's split into two discs, maybe 3 discs if even longer.

6. Songs are in chronological order.

Let's start with the Swedish pioneers of djent:

Meshuggah - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1FUW5yd9jRCkLXCi7JyQZx

Disc 1

1. Paralyzing Ignorance

2. Cadaverous Mastication

3. Humiliative

4. Future Breed Machine

5. Inside What's Within Behind

6. New Millennium Cyanide Christ

7. The Mouth Licking What You've Bled

8. Rational Gaze

9. Straws Pulled at Random

10. I

Disc 2

1. Entrapment

2. Shed

3. Bleed

4. Pravus

5. I Am Colossus

6. The Hurt That Finds You First

7. Clockworks

8. Into Decay

9. The Abysmal Eye

10. Armies of the Preposterous

Inspired by one of my current favorite YouTube channels Thralls of Metal, I decided to also get in the "band's greatest hits" trend of compiling tracks from different albums by a band as your own "greatest hits" kind of album. If you have any of your own "greatest hits" albums for your favorite bands, feel free to post them here.

Here are my rules for how I would do my own "greatest hits" albums, but you may have your own rules:

1. Two songs per each studio album; one popular track and one underrated track.

2. One song per other album (remix album, EP, etc.).

3. If a track is at least 10 minutes long or close to that, it counts as two songs.

4. Might add in one extra song for one of the albums.

5. If the length of the tracklisting exceeds 80 minutes (the CD length limit), it's split into two discs, maybe 3 discs if even longer.

6. Songs are in chronological order.

Let's start with two of my never forgotten power metal heroes whom I'll never let go of:

DragonForce - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3j2j83nXjsAlGq1N9X9FcF

Disc 1 (ZP Theart era)

1. Valley of the Damned

2. Revelations

3. Fury of the Storm

4. Above the Winter Moonlight

5. Through the Fire and Flames

6. The Flame of Youth

7. Heroes of Our Time

8. Inside the Winter Storm

Disc 2 (Marc Hudson era)

1. Cry Thunder

2. Heart of the Storm

3. The Game

4. City of Gold

5. Chemical Interference

6. Ashes of the Dawn

7. War!

8. Highway to Oblivion

9. In a Skyforged Dream

10. Astro Warrior Anthem

11. Pixel Prison

12. Power of the Saber Blade

Kamelot (Roy Khan era) - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7cYVwrx7OMe78YLj9BjYSL

1. Providence

2. Parting Visions

3. The Fourth Legacy

4. Lunar Sanctum

5. Forever

6. Karma

7. Center of the Universe

8. III Ways to Epica

9. March of Mephisto

10. The Black Halo

11. Memento Mori

12. Ghost Opera

13. Love You to Death

14. Hunter's Season

15. Once Upon a Time

Inspired by one of my current favorite YouTube channels Thralls of Metal, I decided to also get in the "band's greatest hits" trend of compiling tracks from different albums by a band as your own "greatest hits" kind of album. If you have any of your own "greatest hits" albums for your favorite bands, feel free to post them here.

Here are my rules for how I would do my own "greatest hits" albums, but you may have your own rules:

1. Two songs per each studio album; one popular track and one underrated track.

2. One song per other album (remix album, EP, etc.).

3. If a track is at least 10 minutes long or close to that, it counts as two songs.

4. Might add in one extra song for one of the albums.

5. If the length of the tracklisting exceeds 80 minutes (the CD length limit), it's split into two discs, maybe 3 discs if even longer.

6. Songs are in chronological order.

Let's start with the world's most famous alt-rock/metal band:

Linkin Park - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1V8OiCrZBWvDtfUystkoxj

1. And One

2. In the End

3. Pushing Me Away

4. Krwlng

5. Don't Stay

6. From the Inside

7. Points of Authority/99 Problems/One Step Closer

8. What I've Done

9. No More Sorrow

10. When They Come for Me

11. Waiting for the End

12. Lost in the Echo

13. Skin to Bone

14. A Light That Never Comes

15. Guilty All the Same

16. War

17. One More Light

18. Friendly Fire

19. Two Faced

20. Good Things Go

I've done my review, here's its summary:

In 2014, Xerath released their third album (and last before their 7-year split) titled, you guessed it, III. This immersive masterpiece has revolutionized modern progressive metal, just like their first two albums have, but with more intriguing ideas in their inventory. This is true blazing epic extreme metal right here! Xerath III has production magic from well-known Mercenary/Volbeat producer Jacob Hansen. His golden touch has helped with the perfection of this blend of orchestral drama and metal structures, creating something so unique and apocalyptic. Many tracks have the fascinating talent of vocalist Richard Thomson, with his black metal-ish shrieks and operatic cleans making this track come out like an epic progressive take on both Children of Bodom and Soilwork. The incredible shredding by guitarist Conor McGouran has such diverse technicality. The ability to combine film score-style orchestra with metal pays off, adding beautiful harmony to this apocalyptic chaos. I'm glad to find an exceptional masterpiece from this band, one that I can consider the best album of 2014!

5/5

Recommended tracks: "I Hold Dominion", "I Hunt for the Weak", "Death Defiant", "Sentinels", "Demigod Doctrine", "The Chaos Reign", "Veil" (both parts)

For fans of: Devin Townsend Project, Mechina, Textures

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

A Dark Halo - "Burn It All" from Catalyst (2006)

5/5. One of my favorite tracks here is this one having lots of groove and energy from the intro onwards.

Illidiance - "I Want to Believe" from Damage Theory (2010)

4.5/5. Then we slow down for this ballad-ish track that's clearly an X-Files reference in that title.

Lard - "Can God Fill Teeth?" from The Last Temptation of Reid (1990)

4/5. The lyrics are pretty much entirely spoken word. After some conspiracy theory accusations, the guitar and drums speed up as fast as thrash, while painful yet humorous sounds of dental torture come in. Apparently, wires leading to the brain of the patient record all that's happening the appointment. So odd and mesmerizing, yet as creative as the first two tracks!

Rammstein - "Benzin" from Rosenrot (2005)

3.5/5. If I were to recommend Neue Deutsche Harte to someone, it would be those who like industrial/alt-metal with German lyrics. The "hey" sample also seems to be the same one used in The Prodigy's "Firestarter". I suppose a song like this should've ended up in one of the Carmageddon video games alongside those Fear Factory tracks.

Old - "Vein Water" from Lo Flux Tube (1991)

4/5. Although this is experimental/industrial metal, the vocals are bit like blackened deathgrind. Nonetheless, it never gets f***ing old.

Drown - "Pieces of a Man" from Hold on to the Hollow (1994)

4.5/5. The more industrial fans might know this Drown album from the fact that it was produced by Dave Ogilvie from Skinny Puppy. Drown and Fear Factory are two bands that have this bada** genre of industrial metal big in the 90s. Still I like the genre more when it has metallic rage. Prong also dived into a bit of industrial metal back then. Fear Factory would get more of the mainstream glory though. Totally kick-A!

Sybreed - "Neurodrive" from Antares (2007)

5/5. This highlight rolls through excellent guitar rhythms and some of the best vocals by Benjamin. That might have leave a huge influential mark on Neurotech, and is one of my favorite tracks here.

Fear Factory - "Scumgrief" from Soul of a New Machine (1992)

4.5/5. This one marks the return to the full form of the industrial death metal balance between clean hooks and deathly heaviness.

Misery Loves Co. - "It's All Yours" from Not Like Them (1997)

4/5. Misery Loves Co. can be considered a metallized blend of The Cure and Depeche Mode. Quite cool as h*ll, especially since this was on MTV to brush aside the pop sh*t.

Argyle Park - "Violent" from Misguided (1994)

4.5/5. People may have discovered music like this in their teens, but I only starting getting into Klayton's music a few years before this comment. The lyrics may not be highly suitable for Christians despite being in the Christian market, but I still like them, "I've taken what you've told me, I'm ready to apply. Liars can't be trusted, but who doesn't lie?" Those lyrics can are also referenced in Celldweller's "One Good Reason". While Argyle Park is long-gone now, at least we still have Celldweller and Circle of Dust.

Ministry - "Aryan Embarrassment" from HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES (2024)

4/5. Oooh, another Al Jourgensen/Jello Biafra track! Not as bizarre as that Lard track, but still quite interesting.

Noidz - "2012" 2.0.1.3. (2013)

3.5/5. Anyone still listening to this in 2025?

Fange - "Sang-Vinaigre" from Privation (2023)

3/5. Decent sludgy industrial metal, but a little too drone-ish.

CueStack - "Alive" from Alive (2021)

3.5/5. Industrial rock/metal might just take over the planet! The riffing is good, but I prefer to get my industrial metal from Fear Factory and a bit of Ministry.

Deadly Apples, Filter, Danny Lohner - "Volatile" from Volatile (2025)

4/5. Some more top-notch industrial rock/metal, this track featuring members of Filter and Nine Inch Nails.

Watts - "Kundalini" from Pigmartyr (2004)

4.5/5. And another similarly-styled track, this one by Raymond Watts of PIG.

Celldweller - "Electric Eye" from Satellites (2022)

5/5. OK, why does the intro beat sound like the Powerpuff Girls theme? Still this is a perfect track with many different moments to highlight, such as the verse in the two and a half minute mark, then the bridge over a minute later, and another minute later the outro.

Dodheimsgard - "Sonar Bliss" from 666 International (1999)

4.5/5. Some amazing industrial black metal here, and I especially love the riffing at over the 4 and a half minute mark. But it's nothing compared to the last minute of the track, an out of this world outro! This is for anyone who's into experimental/industrial black metal like Aborym, Diabolos Rising, and Ved Buens Ende, not just the symphonic black metal of Dimmu Borgir and early Satyricon. I once thought of 666 International as the missing link between Covenant and The Kovenant eras. The only other DHG album to be part of The Sphere is Supervillain Outcast.

Neurotech - "The Lost Hope" from In Remission (2016)

5/5. This trance-y centerpiece sounds like Evasive but more epic and in the same metallic vibe as "Uplift". The bass and synths drive through and never lose any momentum.

Mick Gordon - "Shatterhail" from Killer Instinct: Season One Soundtrack (2014)

4.5/5. Mick Gordon is pretty much a master of metalstep. Eat your heart out, The Path of Totality!

Mechina - "On the Wings of Vecterra" from Bellum Interruptum (2025)

5/5. This incredible standout can practically surpass the previous few tracks, and the female vocals here are mostly from "Treasur'" Necole Wright who previously guest appeared in Venator's "Totemic", plus some wild shredding soloing by Dean Paul Arnold.

Die Krupps - "F.U." from Vision 2020 Vision (2019)

4.5/5. Sounds like an attack on a certain US President. I'm not really a political person, so I have nowhere to stand here.

Proton Burst - "N.W.G." from Silence (1998)

4/5. The song title stands for "Negative Wave Generator", for those who don't know.

Underoath - "Vultures" from The Place After This One (2025)

3.5/5. This one is a killer track that can really punch its way to Hell and back. The ethereal leads grab my attention as much as the heavy chorus, "How’s it feel now that you circle with the Vultures?!" The chorus isn't the only massive hooker here. We also have the dark heavy bridge featuring Troy Sanders of Mastodon and his gritty singing. Truly a "take no sh*t" kind of track.

Circle of Dust - "Daraq" from Metamorphosis (1993)

4/5. Finally, we have one more track to complete the Klayton triptych. It's so strange and unique, and has some industrial from Skinny Puppy. Daraq is the name of a few different provinces in Iran.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? I recommend this to any industrial metal fan and anyone who isn't into industrial metal but is up to getting into a great start for the genre. Thanks to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Ice Nine Kills - "The American Nightmare" from The Silver Scream (2018)

4.5/5. Based on A Nightmare on Elm Street, this track opens the playlist with advice about sleep in a radio broadcast. The insistent drum beat with smooth vocals by Spencer Charnas is followed the loud fast guitar riff and screaming vocals. The high-speed beat, hooks, and vocals alternating between Charnas and Justin DeBlieck create an otherworldly vibe. Another strong solid start!

Morning Again - "Turning Over" from The Cleanest War (1996) (based on Hand of the Martyr compilation (2002))

5/5. Then this song rockets towards you with a metalcore blast, and not much else I can say about this awesome song can do tit justice.

Dawn of Orion - "As the Blood Red Moon Rises" from For the Lust of Prophecies Undone (1999)

4.5/5. This one greatly exemplifies that riffing, filled with true early melodic deathcore. This is the kind of darkness not even In Flames and Soilwork have dived into, having starting to go their own mainstream route in the early 2000s.

Avenged Sevenfold - "Chapter Four" from Waking the Fallen (2003)

4/5. The early 2000s was also when the modern metalcore scene was first starting to really build up. Nice guitarwork there!

Lamb of God - "Laid to Rest" from Ashes of the Wake (2004)

4.5/5. Again I know Lamb of God is more of a groove metal band, but some of their earlier tracks, including this hit that I still enjoy, still have some metalcore vibes. The bass and drums are all really nice. And everything is quite killer. Sick song!

Enter Shikari - "Juggernauts" from Common Dreads (2009)

4.5/5. "The idea of community will be something displayed at a museum." Hopefully this amazing song will be displayed too.

The Wise Man's Fear - "Carry On" from What Slept Beneath Tarvos (2024)

4/5. The guest vocals by Cody Jamison (ex-Until I Wake) add a killer touch to this track. The guitar riffing that starts the last minute is d*mn ethereal. If anyone thinks fantasy lyrics only belong in power metal, they thought wrong. This is absolutely insane! And I enjoy Tyler Eads' vocals and bass as well. It's like my skeleton is on fire while being put out from the inside. Such a phenomenal banger! Starset metalcore, anyone?

Defamed - "Silhouette" from Silhouette (2025)

4.5/5. The blend of fast and dramatic that has covered modern epic deathcore continues on in this banger.

Whitechapel - "Hymns in Dissonance" from Hymns in Dissonance (2025)

5/5. The new Whitechapel album's title track that really stands out amongst the rest. The chorus name-drops several of their earlier songs, and the breakdowns sound almost as djenty as Meshuggah while staying brutal. Their roots really are back!

The Last Ten Seconds of Life - "The Violent Sound" from The Violent Sound (2016)

4.5/5. I love the riffing in the midway verse. I can definitely hear this song in a horror movie soundtrack. They really blend deathcore with the alt-/nu metal of Alice in Chains, Korn, and Static-X in this album. The breakdown is catchy and heavy, but the cleans are a little odd.

In Hearts Wake - "Healer" from Earthwalker (2014)

5/5. D*mn, this is an incredible soul-toucher! This one also has some slight Static-X vibes here.

Silent Planet - "Anunnaki" from Superbloom (2023)

4.5/5. More of this diverse chaos from these guys, especially in the breakdown!

Bleed From Within - "A Hope in Hell" from Zenith (2025)

5/5. One of my favorite tracks from the new Bleed from Within album. This blend of classic and modern, along with Steven Jones' cleans, deserves more attention.

Memory of a Melody - "Ultraviolence" from Things That Make You Scream (2011)

4.5/5. One of the best songs to combine alt-metal and metalcore! Strangely not getting popular after 14 years since its original album's release.

Undying - "For Liberation" from This Day All Gods Die (1999)

4/5. This track is a mighty battle between the 90s metal/hardcore of Vision of Disorder and Burst and the European melodeath that would later reach bands like Neaera and Omnium Gatherum.

ERRA - "Crawl Backwards Out of Heaven" from CURE (2024)

4.5/5. OH!! Feel those vocals and riffing that will make you want more!

Killswitch Engage - "This Fire" from As Daylight Dies (2006)

5/5. Another popular track. It's short while still great, striking with melodic riffing. So heavy while still catchy. Love it!

Livealie - "Casting Shadows" from Living in the Static (2024)

4.5/5. Simple yet hard-hitting in the riffing. And the verse at the one and a half minute is so f***ing intense while so d*mn beautiful.

LEVELS - "REALIGN" from PULSE (2024)

4/5. It's clear that Bad Omens has paved the way for bands like Levels to make similar f***ing phenomenal bangers. How about some heavy sauce to go with that melodic modern metal meal? Bring it on!

Termina - "Spiraling" from Spiraling (2025)

3.5/5. This song and its music video should really go viral, although the quality is a bit spiraling.

Cane Hill - "Scumbag" from Too Far Gone (2018)

4/5. Nu metalcore at its wildest! I especially like that pleasantly brutal ending breakdown. The guitarwork is f***ing killer. This probably would've been perfect if the vocals weren't too much like Slipknot. The lyrics are basically a well-deserved "f*** you" to Nazis.

Candiria - "Remove Yourself" from What Doesn't Kill You... (2004)

4.5/5. The vehicular crash that occurred a couple years before this album was intense, but luckily the band members survived. This alt-metalcore track is just out of this world and really should've made history.

Parkway Drive - "Leviathan I" from Deep Blue (2010)

5/5. A supreme anthem!! Why is this song never in live shows?! The music is absolutely superb, storming through a winning chorus with better vocals and percussion than anything else in this album.

The Number Twelve Looks Like You - "Cradle in the Crater" from Mongrel (2007)

4.5/5. "Next time you fall asleep look down at us on Earth and realize it may be better to forever count sheep. You're the captain of your ship and star. For today you will shine and be impervious to pain, we have all admired your bravery." Sheer poetry, just like their band name! The lyrics and screamed vocals are all f***ing beautiful. And I'm glad they're still around after their 6-year split. And whether or not you like it, everyone has a different taste in music.

Daughters - "And Then the C.H.U.D.S Came" from Canada Songs (2003)

4/5. A kick-A short grind-ish mathcore track. And there's another song like that to come...

Car Bomb - "Cielo Drive" from Centralia (2007)

4/5. Structured very strongly while staying close to the madness.

Frontierer - "Heartless 101" from Unloved (2018)

4.5/5. While mathcore is already heading into the mainstream, songs like this are still enjoyable. The guitar rising from ambient to djenty is similar to some Meshuggah songs. Then it's the usual electronic noisecore until another melodic dramatic section midway through.

The Autumn Offering - "Homecoming" from Revelations of the Unsung (2004)

5/5. I wish this band was still around and brought back their original lineup. And holy sh*t, the guest vocals by All That Remains' Phil Labonte rules!

Living Sacrifice - "Reject" from Reborn (1997)

4.5/5. Modern metal doesn't have much of the rawness metalcore had in the 90s. The breakdown at over the one-minute mark is so mind-blowing and worth repeated listens.

Norma Jean - "Disconnecktie: The Faithful Vampire" from O God, the Aftermath (2005)

5/5. You don't get to hear many 10+ minute epics in metalcore, let alone one that's perfect. 20 years since its original album's release, and still can be considered a classic!

Trivium - "Leaving This World Behind" from In Waves (2011)

4.5/5. Then the previous song fades into this dark ambient outro that has the same melody as the post-solo bridge in "Dusk Dismantled". Heafy shouts a politician/preacher-like speech and repeatedly says "I’m leaving this world behind, making up for all our crimes" with his voice rising up to screaming, then the outro intensely builds up before coming to a sudden stop. That abrupt ending left me bothered and confused but doesn't affect the rest of its original album.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? I recommend this to any metalcore fan and anyone who isn't into metalcore but is up to getting into a great start for the genre. Thanks to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Blind Guardian - "The Ninth Wave" from Beyond the Red Mirror (2015)

4.5/5. Blind Guardian was one of my favorite bands when I was still listening to symphonic/power metal. And this is one of their amazing powerful songs that I still enjoy.

Iron Maiden - "2 Minutes to Midnight" from Powerslave (1984)

4/5. I wasn't alive yet in the 80s, but if I was, I would probably enjoy bands like Iron Maiden a lot more. The riffing has a similar vibe to Venom. And speak of the devil...

Venom - "Black Metal" from Black Metal (1982)

4.5/5. It's kinda odd how the band that pioneered the phrase "black metal" isn't the genre you might know today. Venom and Hellhammer are closer to speed metal and would pave the way for Bathory to invent the actual black metal genre and for Slayer to add in dark antichristian lyrics. Quite some underrated talent, I would say! Again I would appreciate this more if I lived 30 years longer than my 26-year age. This was before Finland became known as metal's motherland. Deep Purple can never top that heaviness.

Metallica - "Enter Sandman" from Metallica (1991)

4/5. Whether or not you enjoy metal, and whether you're young or old, this is a classic work of art than anyone can enjoy or at least hear of.

Avenged Sevenfold - "Shepherd of Fire" from Hail to the King (2013)

4.5/5. And how about this track that sounds like a modern copy of "Enter Sandman"? I like this one slightly better, probably because my brother likes it as well, hearing this song from Call of Duty Origins. I can probably be able to sing this song with my karaoke vocals.

Volbeat - "Still Counting" from Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood (2008)

4/5. One of the best tracks from this Southern-fried Danish heavy metal band!

Ozzy Osbourne - "Mr. Crowley" from Blizzard of Ozz (1980)

4.5/5. Another bada** classic! While the synth/organ intro is quite notable, you gotta admire the talented guitarwork of Randy Rhoads. RIP

Black Sabbath - "N.I.B." from Black Sabbath (1970)

4/5. This one continues the lyrical narrative idea they first had in the title opener, this one being more of a fictional devilish love story. Now listen, just because the band mentions the Devil, Satan, or Hell, etc., doesn't mean they worship any of that. They're against that, portraying them like they are bad things. Lucifer is depicted as the dark seductive antagonist he's meant to be. The riffing has that bluesy hard rock vibe of Cream, which is a little mundane, especially when Ozzy sings over it, but is made up for by the rest of the song being heavy metal/proto-stoner metal, especially in the slower sections. A brilliant hint at the genre they would establish!

Judas Priest - "Screaming for Vengeance" from Screaming for Vengeance (1982)

4.5/5. Practically one of the true definitions of classic 80s heavy metal! The lyrics are so maniacal and vengeful. People think this should be for or against Trump, but I don't know which side to stand, since I'm not really political.

Quiet Riot - "Metal Health" from Metal Health (1983)

4/5. I guess you can say I'm in good Metal Health! Haha

Queensryche - "Nocturnal Light" from Digital Noise Alliance (2023)

3.5/5. Pretty good track, but their early material from the 80s are where they stand in quality.

Saxon - "Hell, Fire, and Damnation" from Hell, Fire, and Damnation (2024)

4/5. Saxon is still going divine in their nearly 50 years of existence. Wonderful lyrics here!

Battle Beast - "Russian Roulette" from Circus of Doom (2022)

4.5/5. If there's ever a video game that combines anime with James Bond-like secret agent stuff, this heavy/power metal track would fit right in the soundtrack.

DragonForce - "Heroes of Our Time" from Ultra Beatdown (2008)

5/5. This magnificent single keeps up the verse-chorus structure I find boring in most other bands, but for soloing, there are so many random changes and lead harmonies that you can't tell what's next. Brilliant! The end of the song is f***ing impossible not to sing along.

Warkings - "Armageddon" from Armageddon (2025)

4.5/5. For honor and power, we ride into armageddon!

Alestorm - "Shipwrecked" from Back Through Time (2011)

4/5. Avast, ye matey! Alestorm is still going strong with their pirate metal.

Warmen - "Invisible Power" from Accept the Fact (2005)

3.5/5. Nice vocals by Timo Kotipelto of Stratovarius. Cool soloing too! But the rest of the instrumentation could've been better.

Cacophony - "Concerto" from Speed Metal Symphony (1987)

4/5. A sweet balance of neoclassical melodies and heavy riffing. Some of the most beautiful soloing to cover most of the last minute song is performed by Jason Becker, and despite his crippling ALS, he still has his ability to compose music. It's especially good to hear with headphones on.

Andre Matos - "Endeavour" from Time to Be Free (2007)

4.5/5. RIP Andre Matos. His vocals shine in magical songs like this one. I've already been familiar with his vocals since first listening to Angra 10 years ago. His legacy shall be remembered! This is honestly one of the most beautiful songs I've heard from him since the time I've had with the music of Angra. It's so great hearing such epic elegance especially in the second half that can fit well for a final voyage into the unknown. But there's still one track left in this playlist...

Neurotech - "The Ophidian Symphony" from Symphonies (2016)

5/5. The longest Neurotech symphony of all, at nearly 19 minutes, with many different acts woven together for one of the best epics done by Neurotech or any other artist.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? I recommend this to any heavy/power/symphonic/neoclassical metal fan and anyone who isn't into those genres but is up to getting into a great start for the genre. Thanks to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here's my review summary:

Catalyst was released in 2006, 17 years before their next album. Their brand of industrial/cyber metal is basically what Fear Factory had at the time but made better and more futuristic. Still the music here is quite unique and can get listeners hooked with the synths and guitars. The first two tracks, also the two of the best, would appear in WWE Day of Reckoning 2. And there are other highlights where heavy guitars and beautiful synths duel each other for some catchy futuristic metal that should really catch on along with everything else here. It's not everyday you can find a practically unknown album that can make your day with its music and lyrics of coldness and loss. Catalyst is a special album to listen to. A dash of melancholy for your industrial/cyber metal heart!

5/5

Recommended tracks: "Burn It All", "Beyond Recall", "Silence", "Unbreakable"

For fans of: Fear Factory, Illidiance, Mechina